1.1 Who is eligible to apply for the Bachelor of Music (Hons) Degree programme?
Prospective candidates must have completed (or be completing) senior high school studies (of any discipline and subject combination) to attain the following academic qualifications as required by NUS. Music diploma students from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and LASALLE College of the Arts are also welcome to apply.

Students who are home-schooled must also attain one of the accepted high school qualifications to be eligible to apply.

Besides fulfilling NUS academic requirements, you are also required to offer an audition that meets our requirements. Please refer to the respective major requirements under Programmes.

External gradings such as the ABRSM or Trinity certificates have no bearing on admission and will not be accepted as equivalent academic qualifications.

1.2 I have not completed my high school examinations. Am I eligible to apply before the audition or will I have to wait till I receive my high school results and certificate?
Instrumental and vocal performance majors: If you are currently in your final year of high school studies, you may first submit an application online. An offer of admission will be subject to your successful completion of high school studies by 1 July before matriculating in the University. You will need to produce transcripts and certification to prove that you have completed your high school studies before your matriculation.  

AAS, Composition, MS/MCP majors: You should have already completed your high school studies when you apply. You will need to submit your certification of completion and final year transcripts during the application phase.

1.3 Is there an application fee?
There is no application or other fee involved during the application phase.

International students are requested to consult the YST Admissions Office if they come across agents charging them an application fee. YST does not have agents overseas and all communications should be made directly with the YST Admissions Office.

1.4 Does having previous music qualifications such as certificates, diplomas etc. provide any advantage for applicants?
Music qualifications (music diplomas or degrees) obtained through full-time studies at a music conservatory, arts school, middle schools attached to a conservatory or colleges with a developed arts programme (e.g. Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, LASALLE College of the Arts) are not prerequisites but may be an advantage for admission.

Music certificates and diplomas obtained through external examinations (e.g. ABRSM certificates) are not considered for admission and will not be used as a tool to assess the candidate’s performance standard.

1.5 What is the minimum GPA that I need to achieve for my high school examinations to qualify?
There is no minimum GPA for you to qualify for application as long as you have completed the necessary examinations. However, your academic performance is one of the consideration factors in assessing your attitude and aptitude.

1.6 Is it necessary for international applicants to submit IELTS (English Language Testing System), or TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) scores?
TOEFL and IELTS are not required for admission to YST, although English language ability will be assessed as part of the audition.

1.7 How will my English ability be assessed during the day of the audition?
Your English proficiency will be assessed in a holistic manner throughout the entire audition. This will include conversations with your professor during the lesson, an interview, and a writing and reading component. 

1.8 Will I be given credits if I have a diploma in music?
Applicants who have a diploma in music (obtained locally or abroad through full-time studies) must first meet the admission requirements to NUS. Obtaining a diploma from e.g. the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts or LASALLE College of the Arts does not automatically shorten a student’s candidature period for the BMus programme at YST, which is a 4-year duration. Transfer of credits may be considered by the academic office on a case-by-case basis.

1.9 If I wish to transfer to YST from another BMus programme, will I enter at the same level that I am at my current school?
It is possible to do so, but you will need to compete for a place through an audition process. In addition, your placement will be decided by the audition panel and the academic office who will consider a couple of factors. Firstly, not only must you be shortlisted for consideration of an offer of admission, but you will also need to be playing at a level beyond the first-year students. Secondly, the academic office will decide which credits are transferable and you will need to have done very well for your academic studies in order to justify the transfer.

All transfer students must be in-residence for a minimum of two years in order to receive a degree from NUS.

1.10 If I cannot accept your offer of admission and/or scholarship, will you hold my acceptance and scholarship so that I can begin classes the following year?
At YST, we are not able to allow an applicant to defer acceptance from one year to the next. Admission to YST is competitive and there are limited vacancies for each major. Priority will be given to the applicants most qualified in each particular year. If you are unable to accept an offer for a particular year, you will need to submit a new application and re-audition if you wish to be considered for admission the following year.

1.11 Can I choose my studio teacher?
Where there is a choice of studio teachers, you may indicate your choice of studio teacher during online application. For students offered admission to YST, studio assignments will be announced in your offer letter or weeks leading to freshmen orientation in July.

1.12 What is the relationship between YST and NUS? Do I need to apply to NUS if I have applied to YST?
YST is one of 13 undergraduate schools in NUS and students join the campus community of over 31,000 undergraduates, 11,000 graduate students. If you apply to YST’s BMus programme through the YST Admissions Portal, you do not need to submit a separate application to NUS. Graduates of YST will be conferred an NUS degree.

1.13 Can I apply to YST if I also wish to enrol in another programme in NUS?
YST offers NUS students access to major study from their first year. Applicants must first apply to YST, indicate their interest only for gaining access to a major study and audition for the major with the same audition requirements and conditions. While YST does not offer a double degree programme, students who gain access to a major study, may be considered for enrolment as 2^nd major after one year of study, on provision that they perform well in the study area and that their home faculty allows and is supportive.

2.1 Can I request for an alternative live audition date if I am unable to attend due to conflicts in schedule (e.g. school exams, overseas exchanges, music festivals, performances, etc)?
Audition dates have been arranged to deconflict national examinations in various cities and may not be changed. Candidates are advised to plan ahead to commit time to attend the ‘live’ or virtual audition.

2.2 Can I request for a virtual audition instead of a ‘live’ one?
As the Covid-19 situation in Singapore has stabilised, we will require all candidates to attend ‘live’ auditions in person. 

2.3 Can I choose pieces other than those listed in the requirements for my audition?
We list the audition repertoire in order to communicate to the applicants the musical requirements we need to hear to determine the level of excellence of each applicant.

If the audition material listed under your specific instrument gives you some flexibility in choosing literature, you should prepare music of contrasting styles that best exhibits your abilities in the areas of technique, sound, musicianship and style. You may wish to consult your major teacher for advice.

2.4 I have been shortlisted for the ‘live’ audition in Singapore. Can I rent a practice room in YST to practise prior to my audition day?
The practice rooms at YST are limited and reserved for current students. While YST is unable to rent out its premises for prospective applicants to practise, performance major candidates will have 30mins to warm up in a practice room equipped with a grand piano on the day of audition.  

2.4 I am interested to apply for the Composition major. What kind of works should I prepare for my portfolio?
The Composition faculty are looking for examples of notated music that use piano, voice and/or orchestral instruments. Familiar formats would be a symphonic band, orchestra, string quartet, voice with piano accompaniment, wind quintet, brass quintet, or a combination of orchestral instruments e.g. flute, cello, and piano.

Music arrangements or popular genres will not be considered; popular genres refers to popular musical styles e.g. rock, pop, blues, jazz. These styles can be referenced in a composition – for instance, a string quartet might have a section that is influenced by jazz – but the composition itself isn’t a “pop song”. A good litmus test would be to ask the following question: would this piece be appropriate for the radio or for a concert hall? Usually music on the radio (except on the classical station) is popular music. Music performed in concert halls usually does not fit under the umbrella of popular genres.

At the interview, applicants should be able to discuss their influences and musical interests in relation to the field of composition.